Sawt Falasteen - News from Ramallah, the political, economic and cultural centre of Palestine, as well as the West Bank and the whole world

British no-frills airline EasyJet said Friday it had accepted a £5.7-billion ($7.7-billion) takeover offer from US private equity firm Apollo, topping a rival bid by American investor Castlelake.

As Vienna grapples with smashed record after smashed record for tourist numbers, a plan to more than double its visitors' tax has worried hotel owners fearful of killing the Austrian capital's golden goose.

A pioneering project in UK schools has been harnessing the power of trusted mentors and a love of football to tackle what researchers call the "Lost Boys" crisis.

Fifteen people were killed in landslides in the Philippines, and more than 2,000 in Taiwan were evacuated from their homes, as the biggest typhoon in decades neared the region on Friday.

In India, a pavement can be many things -- a hawking site, parking area and garbage dumping space -- but rarely what it is meant to be: a safe path to walk.

Clad in camouflage uniforms, young guerilla fighters laughed and joked despite a series of military setbacks as they walked to their makeshift parade ground deep in the Myanmar jungle.

In the dead of night on Friday, a large yellow truck led by a police escort made its way through the empty streets of London. Unbeknownst to late night stragglers, it was carrying a 1,000-year-old masterpiece: the Bayeux Tapestry.

Tadhg Beirne said Friday it was a "special, special moment" to be captaining Ireland after being handed the armband to lead the team out for the first time against Japan.

Pacific Islands denounced China's ballistic missile test because they say it landed in the heart of their shared "blue continent", politicians and analysts told AFP.

A landfill fire on the outskirts of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, has been put out after burning for more than a week as evacuees returned home, a disaster agency spokesman said on Friday.

Australian captain Harry Wilson insisted Friday that he had complete faith in flyhalf Declan Meredith, who will be making his Test debut against France in Brisbane on Saturday.

European champions Spain are on a World Cup collision course with Kylian Mbappe's France if they can beat Belgium in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Five people were killed in a landslide in the Philippines, and hundreds in Taiwan were evacuated from their homes, as the biggest typhoon in decades swept towards the region on Friday.

The medieval Bayeux Tapestry arrived in London in the early hours of Friday after a hugely complicated journey to leave France for the first time in more than 900 years for an exhibition in the British capital.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi lands in New Zealand on Friday touting a free trade deal that has sparked a backlash despite promises it will unlock jobs and economic riches.

North Korea will strengthen its nuclear force "both in quality and quantity" and expand the role of its military intelligence agency focused on South Korea, state media said Friday.

The medieval Bayeux Tapestry was on its way to London on Friday, undertaking a hugely complicated journey to leave France for the first time in more than 900 years for an exhibition in the British capital.

Scientists have detected the highly contagious H5 bird flu in an Australian seabird for the first time, the government said Friday.

Syrian officials said late Thursday the country had captured an IS-linked cell responsible for two bomb blasts during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Damascus earlier this week.

Saluting the red banner of revolution deep in Myanmar's jungle, retreating rebels swear to keep fighting for democracy -- but after five years of civil war the cause is flagging.

A lanky businessman ventures into a hole-in-the-wall restaurant and savours his meal alone.

Hundreds of people in Taiwan have been evacuated from their homes, and many schools and offices closed, as the biggest typhoon in decades sweeps towards the region on Friday.

Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League will open its season this year in Chennai -- the first foreign cricket league to play in the huge Indian market.

South Korea's Kospi led gains across most Asian markets Friday as a record-breaking US share sale by chip titan SK hynix breathed fresh life into the tech sector after weeks of selling.

The vuvuzelas finally fell quiet in Morocco on Thursday as the only African team left in the World Cup came up against the insurmountable hurdle of France and Kylian Mbappe.

From remote-controlled trucks delivering life-saving aid in dangerous settings to mobile phone data analysis flagging mass displacement, humanitarians are eyeing ways in which artificial intelligence can speed up and improve their operations.

The last thing Zarina Giyassova recalls before she lost consciousness in a deadly gas explosion was people "burning and screaming" in the inferno unleashed by the blast.

Indian designers are a growing presence at Paris Haute Couture Week -- "overdue" representation for a country that has long played a role behind the scenes, the latest newcomer, Manish Malhotra, told AFP.

South Korean chip giant SK hynix set pricing for its mega US listing on Friday, raising $26.5 billion as it takes advantage of the AI boom in what will be one of the world's biggest ever stock sales.

Coach Rudi Garcia said "everyone" expects his Belgium team to be eliminated by Spain in Friday's World Cup quarter-final, but backed his side to pull off a famous victory.

Venezuela's devastating earthquake threatens to set back momentum for a democratic transition, with the United States under President Donald Trump even more set on prioritizing stability over elections.

Australia might "blow hot and cold" but they cannot be taken lightly, France coach Fabien Galthie says with both teams desperate to bounce back from gut-wrenching defeats when they meet in the Nations Championship on Saturday.